See You Yesterday

Chapter 29: Elvin

'He loved her, of course, but better than that, he chose her, day after day. Choice: that was the thing.'- Sherman Alexie.
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"Wake up, Zan," I say, shaking her arm.

"I'm not asleep, Elvin," she tells me, lying against a tree with her eyes closed. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah," I reply, "Everything went fine."

"Diversions all good?" She asks me, her eyes fluttering open.

I nod.

Sighing, she stands up and leans against the same tree, arms crossed. "There's something about that girl, you know."

"Who?"

"Mac," she answers. "She's sweet and all, but... I don't know. It's easy to pretend. I just have a bad feeling about her and that Rydian boy."

"They are a couple," I tell her.

"I know that. I think Mac would be better off with Jay, though," she admits.

"Hmmm," I say. "Sometimes people just like the wrong person when they could be better off with someone else."

"Yeah... I miss Leo so much, Elvin," she cries.

That. Was not. What I meant.

"Yeah," I say finally, because there's nothing else I can say. "Yeah, I know."

"So you did tell them not to tell Leonardo that Charlie and Gale are with Derythian and Quinn, didn't you?" Zanna asks, wiping her eyes.

"Of course," I assure her.

"Did you tell them why?" She asks me.

"Of course not, I'm not an idiot," I retort.

"It would be nice for Leo to find out, but... It'd expose the both of us, and get Mac, Rydian and Jay into trouble," Zanna says, sighing.

"I mean... Do you care if they get into trouble?" I ask carefully.

"I know what they did to Charlie, Elvin. I, too, am not an idiot. But what we've kept from the simul is serious and huge. Do you really want them to be apart of that?"

I sigh and shake my head. "No, I suppose not."

The silence hangs in the air between us, staying there until it becomes an unwanted member of this conversation.

"I know for one that Alex will flip if he finds out what you did to Derythian," she points out finally, looking at her hands.

"I did what was necessary to make sure your secret was kept," I reply, beginning to lose my temper.

"My secret?!" She screeches. "You're as guilty as me, my friend. Who was the one who delivered the child?! Who was the one who insisted on hiding Ally?!"

"I am sorry!" I roar back. "I'm sorry for feeling like I have to protect you."

All goes quiet, until she lifts her head up slowly. "I appreciate your protection."

"Do you?" I snap.

"Yes, Elvin. You're my best friend."

Sighing, I walk over to her, leaning against the tree next to her. "I know."

And that is the sad thing.

I know.